vitaMinn style: Restaurant Review: Per Se NY

Chef Thomas Keller changed me as a cook. Cooking from the pages of his French Laundry Cookbook , he taught me to choose only the best, sustainable and organic ingredients. He also taught me to be patient -- that the best dishes do not come from a box or can but from the freshest ingredients that must be simmered and reduced for hours, strained multiple times and prepared for days. After many, many failed attempts, we were beyond ecstatic when we finally got a table at one of his restaurants at Per Se NY. It was a foodie pilgrimage two years in the making, perfectly timed to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary! (Shoutout to my good friend Normie for making it happen!) We were razzle dazzled the minute we came in -- from the very nice surprise of having our own personalized menu, to the 16-course tasting and a visit to the kitchen, each minute was an experience worth remembering. In the end, after the final 12th course was served -- not counting the petite four mignardises and several amuse bouches here and there, one thing was clear: Chef Thomas Keller changed me as a foodie.

What I liked best from the World's 6th Best:

Our reservation was timed perfectly at dusk so we had a nice view of Central Park as it slowly got dark. I thought it was very romantic.
We got a very private table, looking at everyone else and away from most of the foot traffic.
The caviar supplement was worth every penny!
The brioche is taken away even if it's only half-eaten to make sure guests always have the 'optimal' temperature for the foie gras! Yes, it's excessive and yes, you'll feel a bit guilty for such indulgence.
The foie gras with volcanic salt is the best we've ever had. Ever!
The steak will be my last meal before I die, given a choice.
The private tour of the kitchen was such a nice touch.

What can be improved:

I thought the the service at Eleven Madison Park is slightly better and friendlier.
Please serve the langoustine dish a la Le Bernardin!
Please make a truffle dish like Guy Savoy but don't make it a supplement.
Please let each guest bring home the leftover mignardises and chocolate selection. It's a one small request considering I had to give up shopping for two pairs of Louboutins to have this dinner.

Some tips:

Forget about Open Table for reservation. Use a concierge service or know someone that has access to one!
It's dressier than Eleven Madison Park or Le Bernardin. Ladies wearing cocktail dresses will fit just right in.
Experiment with the foie gras. We had ours eaten by itself, with the brioche, with the different salts, with the brioche and salt. Then at the end, we each picked a favorite and told our server about it.
Ask for the salt not to be taken away and try it with the steak. One word of caution: mind blowing!
Research your preferred wine pairings using their own iPad app, it's fun! I enjoyed that better than talking to the snooty sommelier.
If you're friendly to the servers, they will explain with much more gusto about each course and how its prepared. It was way better than listening to their standard scripted spiel.
Relax and enjoy the food! I can't help but notice a few diners that night that were too stiff as if they were acting in a period drama.
We should have waited to eat here after we've been through most of the other Michelin-starred restaurant. Now, everywhere else we go seemed fast food-ish in comparison. Our foodie future is doomed, and the only redemption would be to go back.